Which is the more impressive feat: 600 goals or 1000 assists

Which is better?


  • Total voters
    238

Paul4587

Registered User
Jan 26, 2006
31,162
13,178
Goals as well. Really not as impressed seeing some statline like 25G 60A as some elite player as opposed to a 35G 40A player who I would consider to have done better.

Except far more often will you see an elite playmaker inflate mediocre goal scorers numbers than you will see elite goal scorers inflate mediocre playmakers numbers.

I assume based on your statement you would take Cheechoo in 05-06 over Thornton?
 

Sky04

Registered User
Jan 8, 2009
28,958
17,899
Pretty incredible goals is winning this.

No kidding, there's a reason why there's almost half as many people scored 1000 assist compared to 600 goals. The talent level isn't diluted in the 1000 assist club because you actually need to be elite to reach it.
 
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keglu

Registered User
Jul 11, 2014
931
652
Like I said, I wouldn’t know what to pick. They’re both great milestones.

However, scoring 45/season for 15-20 seasons is different than just averaging it for a season. If you’re comparing it in isolation to 100 assists, yeah it’s much easier. But the time period to achieve makes it almost impossible, just like the 100 assists

They are really not comaprable. Ovi in generally low scoring era while not being TOP3 player in NHL for most of his carrer is in the range of goal record. So you need great goal scorer + longevity to have shot.
For assist record you need goat level player, longevity and you still wont do it if overall scoring does not rise significantly.
 

ricky0034

Registered User
Jun 8, 2010
14,870
6,955
Like I said, I wouldn’t know what to pick. They’re both great milestones.

However, scoring 45/season for 15-20 seasons is different than just averaging it for a season. If you’re comparing it in isolation to 100 assists, yeah it’s much easier. But the time period to achieve makes it almost impossible, just like the 100 assists

you're like halfway there

....now take into consideration the difficulty of AVERAGING 100 assists for that long compared to just doing it once or twice like you did with the goals
 

ScaredStreit

Registered User
May 5, 2006
11,082
2,971
Tampa, FL
He hit it at 37, but that wasn’t meant to be a knock on Joe. I was just trying to frame Francis and Thornton as “the outliers” on the assist list versus the outliers on the goal list.

Thornton assists finishes in the NHL:

03: 2nd
04: 8th
06: 1st
07: 1st
08: 1st
09: 7th
10: 2nd
11: 10th
12: 3rd
13: 12th
14: 2nd
15: 7th
16: 2nd

3 1st place finishes (one by 25 assists)
7 top 2 finishes
12 top 10 finishes

Compiler? Huh?
 
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Sky04

Registered User
Jan 8, 2009
28,958
17,899
People picking goals basically are picking Dave Andreychuk as a better player than Joe Thornton.

Thornton and Francis are at the bottom of the talent level for 1000 assist players and are still miles better than Gartner, Andrechuk or Ciccarelli. Marleau is the next closest guy to 600 goals while Crosby is the next edition to the 1000 assist mark.
 

Esko6

Registered User
Sep 14, 2004
1,697
1,189
Finland
If someone played 20 seasons in the NHL and reached 30 goals every season I think it would be more impressive than 50 assists every season.
 

bergeronsboys

Registered User
Jan 10, 2014
99
157
ON
If someone played 20 seasons in the NHL and reached 30 goals every season I think it would be more impressive than 50 assists every season.
Perhaps on the surface that sounds reasonable but even looking at the 2018-2019 season you have 45 players hitting 30 goals and 32 hitting 50 assists...it is harder to accomplish and more impressive
 
Last edited:

Esko6

Registered User
Sep 14, 2004
1,697
1,189
Finland
Perhaps on the surface that sounds reasonable but even looking at the 2018-2019 season you have over 20 players hitting 30 goals and just 11 hitting 50 assists...it is harder to accomplish and more impressive

At how many goals does that stat flip? I guess 37 goals!
 

bergeronsboys

Registered User
Jan 10, 2014
99
157
ON
At how many goals does that stat flip? I guess 37 goals!
Not sure where I pulled those original numbers but looking again it was 32 players who hit 50 assists and 45 players who hit 30 goals. The stat flips at 34 goals which only 29 players were able to do. Good point
 

wabagee

Registered User
Nov 24, 2014
2,074
1,199
Goal scorers are at the top of the food chain, It’s amazing how Ovi does it year after year. The best play makers can float years after their prime.
 

wabagee

Registered User
Nov 24, 2014
2,074
1,199
The secondary assist excuse is just that, an excuse, many secondary assists are the entire reason for the goal being scored in the first place and far more impressive than the goal and/or primary assist.
Sometimes the third or fourth assist is the best of the play, It’s not gonna matter if you don’t have a scorer.
 

MadLuke

Registered User
Jan 18, 2011
9,410
5,068
600 goals no doubt

No doubt that more common feat is more impressive ?
13 players achieved 1,000 assists:
1.Wayne Gretzky*1979-991963
2.Ron Francis*1981-041249
3.Mark Messier*1979-041193
4.Ray Bourque*1979-011169
5.Jaromir Jagr1990-181155
6.Paul Coffey*1980-011135
7.Joe Thornton1997-201089
8.Adam Oates*1985-041079
9.Steve Yzerman*1983-061063
10.Gordie Howe*1946-801049
11.Marcel Dionne*1971-891040
12.Mario Lemieux*1984-061033
13.Joe Sakic*1988-091016
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
In comparison, 20 players achieved 600 goals:
NHL & WHA Career Leaders and Records for Goals | Hockey-Reference.com

And that list include Dave Andreychuk and Dino Ciccarelli.

Which player in the 1,000 assists list had without a doubt a career less impressive than Dave Andreychuk or Ciccarelli ?

- 51 players got 80% of that mark of 600 goals
- 32 players got 80% of that mark of 1,000 assists, so the delta persistent not just because of noise close to the mark
 
Last edited:
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wabagee

Registered User
Nov 24, 2014
2,074
1,199
No doubt that a feet more common is more impressive ?
13 players achieved 1,000 assist look at the list:
1.Wayne Gretzky*1979-991963
2.Ron Francis*1981-041249
3.Mark Messier*1979-041193
4.Ray Bourque*1979-011169
5.Jaromir Jagr1990-181155
6.Paul Coffey*1980-011135
7.Joe Thornton1997-201089
8.Adam Oates*1985-041079
9.Steve Yzerman*1983-061063
10.Gordie Howe*1946-801049
11.Marcel Dionne*1971-891040
12.Mario Lemieux*1984-061033
13.Joe Sakic*1988-091016
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
In comparison, 20 players achieved 600 goals:
NHL & WHA Career Leaders and Records for Goals | Hockey-Reference.com

And that list include Dave Andreychuk and Dino Ciccarelli.

Which player in the 1,000 assist list is without a doubt had a career less impressive than Dave Andreychuk or Ciccarelli ?

- 51 players got 80% of that mark of 600 goals
- 32 players got 80% of that mark of 1,000 assists, so the delta persistent not just because of noise close to the mark
Could you speak English?
 

volcom92886

Registered User
Feb 23, 2009
1,363
878
So Cal
600 goals rather easily, if you asked 1000 primary assists or 600 goals it would be a much tougher question.
 

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